Jones hopes Luton fans understand why is heading to Southampton for talks as Premier League dream draws closer

Luton boss Nathan Jones hopes that Town supporters will understand just why he will enter into talks with Southampton over the vacancy at St Mary’s today as he moves one step closer to his dream of managing in the Premier League.

The Hatters chief is the number one target for the Saints to replace Ralph Hasenhüttl who was sacked after almost four years in charge on Monday, with a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United dropping the club into the relegation zone.

Southampton quickly made their move for Jones, submitting an official approach, with Luton allowing their manager permission to head to the south coast for talks once last night’s trip to Stoke City was out of the way, a game Town lost 2-0.

The former Brighton and Yeovil full back has long made it known that he wants to manage at the top table of English football as it looked like he might do that with Luton last season, beaten in the play-off semi-finals.

Although reiterating that nothing had been agreed yet, speaking to the press last night, Jones hopes fans can acknowledge why he would be interested in taking the job, saying: “It’s a difficult interview, but I hope the fans understand why I'm going for the chat because it’s a different world the Premier League.

"I want to be there one day, whether that’s with Luton or whether that's with someone else, I want to be there.

"But it's just an opportunity to go and chat and find out if it is right for me to do it as this is wonderful project we have here, a wonderful, wonderful project and great people from top to bottom, people that give me absolutely everything and that’s going to be tough to leave."

When asked whether he had wished his potential final game could have been at Kenilworth Road in front of a 10,000 capacity crowd, Jones, who revealed rebuffing interest from other sides in the past, continued: “I want to pick my words carefully as I don't want to give anyone anything tonight, but I’ve got a wonderful relationship with everyone at the football club.

“These things sometimes happen but what I can assure people is there's been a number of enquiries in terms of my time, six years at Luton, but I've always loved my relationship with everyone.

“Yes, I'd love to take another game at Kenny again being Luton manager whether that’s Saturday whether that’s in the future, I don’t 100 per cent know, so I don't want to thank the fans, or thank the players yet, because that could be premature.”

Despite knowing it could be the last time Jones took charge of a Luton game, he was warmly received by the travelling 784 supporters at the Bet365 Stadium last night, applauded both on to the field and off it at the end.

On the reception, he added: “It was (a good one), but the position we’re in, I didn't expect anything else, because it's not entirely my doing that I get approached.

“Well it is and the players’ that I get in that position, but let's not speculate too much as it’s a difficult interview to do.

"I could have asked someone else to do it, but I didn't, I want to face up and front it.

"It's a wonderful thing to be asked, to be coveted by a wonderful side, but not 100 per cent a decision has been made yet.”